Implantable medical devices (IMDs) are devices designed to be implanted into a patient. Some examples of these devices include cardiac function management (CFM) devices such as implantable pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), cardiac resynchronization devices, and devices that include a combination of such capabilities. The devices are typically used to treat patients using electrical or other therapy and to aid a physician or caregiver in patient diagnosis through internal monitoring of a patient's condition. The devices may include one or more electrodes in communication with sense amplifiers to monitor electrical heart activity within a patient, and often include one or more sensors to monitor one or more other internal patient parameters. Other examples of implantable medical devices include implantable diagnostic devices, implantable sensors, implantable insulin pumps, devices implanted to administer drugs to a patient, or implantable devices with neural stimulation capability.
Typically, IMDs communicate wirelessly with an external device. Examples include an IMD programmer that provides bi-directional communication between the IMD and a caregiver, a patient activator that allows a patient to activate an implantable device, a patient data display that reads and displays information from the IMD, and a repeater that communicates with a network and locally communicates information with the IMD. The communication typically follows a protocol of information transfer defined by the IMD type. To communicate with more than one type of IMD, a physician may need more than one type of external programmer or other external device.